


cherry blossom river

by clearlykero



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff and Mush, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 15:04:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14138565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clearlykero/pseuds/clearlykero
Summary: Rin has something to say. Makoto thinks about the two of them.





	cherry blossom river

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhyTheHandbasket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhyTheHandbasket/gifts).



> i saw you wanted mush, and by god, i went for it. happy ihx!

The air smells like spring rain, crushed petals underfoot, the chill breeze of new beginnings. They are on the banks of Nakameguro River at night, huddled together against the railing, the presence of strangers at their backs and cold nipping at their fingertips. For a moment, watching cherry blossoms swirl in the wake of river fish and the lantern reflections flicker like stars in the water, it's easy to pretend they're back in the third year of high school, like nothing has changed. 

"What?" says Makoto, and in his peripheral vision he sees Rin run a hand through his hair.

As if Makoto didn't hear the first time. It's not a very nice thing to do, he knows, but there's a tiny, selfish part of him that wants Rin to say it again. A group of teenagers stumble past, jostling them closer. Makoto pushes his hands deeper into his pockets, waiting.

"Never mind, it's—"

"I'm sorry," Makoto interrupts, before Rin can take it back. "I just wanted to hear it again, I guess." He glances to his left, and Rin is looking back at him. 

Why, he wonders, did it take until now for either of them to say it? The air has been thick with unsaid words from as far back as middle school, when both of them still revolved around the axis called Nanase Haruka. Now the years pile up like dead leaves between them, making acknowledging the obvious into the most herculean task. Maybe the Makoto of a few years ago would have been able to answer instantly. But fear has, somehow, wormed its insidious way into his heart, and he can't seem to get the words past the lump in his throat.

"Do you want me to say it one more time?" The yellow lantern light glints off Rin's teeth. Rin has always been this way. He doesn't ever decide for Makoto— everything is Makoto's choice to make, and sometimes it's too much.

"I don't— yes," Makoto says, licking his lips. He wants to hear it again. He wants to hear it every day.

Rin turns his gaze to the river, tucking his chin into his scarf. "Wish you wouldn't pick now to take my advice about being selfish," he mutters. The wind blows his hair into his face. 

This is, Makoto feels, not the place Rin would have liked to say it. He'd have wanted a romantic  _ hanami _ date with a proper picnic mat for just the two of them, instead of here on a riverbank with people crowding them from all sides and too-loud conversation from drunk salarymen who are probably not getting in to work tomorrow. Nakameguro is the sort of place Makoto has come to like— somewhere almost larger than life, where he's just another anonymous face in the crowd finding his own version of happiness. Tokyo is that sort of a place. Makoto loves it almost as much as he does their sleepy little seaside town in Tottori.

The tips of Rin's ears are flushed pink. Makoto reaches out to touch, carefully, tucking a strand of hair behind one. Rin gives him a Look, and he can't help but smile. They've never needed those specific words, really. His hand moves to brush Rin's jaw. Everything seems so obvious now, with the heat of Rin's skin almost burning his cold fingers. He takes a breath.

"Move in with me?"

A beat, while life marches on around them.

"What!" Rin yelps.

"I guess I earned that," Makoto laughs, and asks again.

"But you didn't— we're not—"

"Aren't we?" Someone shouts something, and there's a burst of raucous laughter. Makoto drops his hand, looking at the other side of the canal. There's a young couple opposite them, holding hands and giggling. Makoto's face feels hot.

Rin huffs. "We aren't  _ officially_." It's just like Rin to take this part seriously. They have always fallen into step with each other, sometimes drunkenly into bed; it all felt so much safer when it was only them being friends. Maybe that's why. Now that they've almost put a name to what they are, it's like a careless word from either of them could break it. 

"Well," Makoto says, trying and failing to fight the deepening blush on his cheeks, "now we're official, so."

When Rin's fingers shyly curl around his, Makoto thinks he's been so silly— it's as easy as everything their friendship has ever been. They watch a moth flutter around a lantern, red and black wings in stark contrast to the candlelight. 

"Sousuke's gonna kill me," Rin says, suddenly.

"Why? Did you— oh no, were you supposed to room with him?" Makoto grabs Rin's sleeve. "It's not like we decided anything, you haven't even moved back to Tokyo yet, you don't have to—"

"Are you crazy?" Rin looks at him like he's an idiot. "I mean, yeah, we were talking about sharing a place, but why the hell would I want to now that I can just stay with you?"

"I just thought..." he lets the sentence trail off, looking down. Rin flicks his forehead.

"Sousuke's my best friend, but you're— you're my. You know." Rin's voice is uncharacteristically high. "My  _ boyfriend_." He finishes the sentence in a whisper, eyes darting around like he's worried his sister is going to jump out from behind a rubbish bin and start making fun of him. 

It's funny how Makoto has never appreciated the word 'boyfriend' before. When it's applied to him and Rin, it makes something crack with warmth in his stomach— like a thing he didn't really think about until right now, when he can't believe he's ever  _ not _thought about it. 

"I'm your boyfriend." He beams at Rin helplessly, because there's no other way to express the sudden overflow of happiness bursting inside him. Rin grins back, flashing all his teeth.

 

* * *

 

The air smells like spring rain, crushed petals underfoot, the chill breeze of new beginnings. They are on the banks of Nakameguro River at night, huddled together against the railing, the presence of strangers at their backs and cold nipping at their fingertips.

Makoto is still, by his side, gazing at the swirling cherry blossoms. Rin takes a breath.

"I love you," he says, and it's like saying the sky is blue, the earth orbits the sun, the soft cowlick in Makoto's brown hair is heartbreakingly beautiful, like a truth that has always been true, as long as he's ever known.


End file.
